@Doovie
We need at least information on which Vegas Pro version and build number you are working with.
Maybe upload us a screenshot of your whole screen, then we might be able to tell you more (use the icon to the left of the smiley).
The page you link to is, in my opinion, ancient and no longer seems to be relevant for newer versions of Vegas Pro.

Unfortunately it's not unknown, although rare, for Vegas Help files to contain errors.

@Grazie @walter-i. Did the Device Explorer in VP ever import files from a folder? After all it's a Device Explorer.

Unfortunately it's not unknown, although rare, for Vegas Help files to contain errors.

@Grazie @walter-i. Did the Device Explorer in VP ever import files from a folder? After all it's a Device Explorer.

@EricLNZ
The help text that @Doovie linked refers to a SONY-Vegas version - so it is no longer the latest ....

I was not quite sure what he meant exactly, and in order not to talk past each other, I asked for the screenshot. (under the motto "a picture is worth a thousand words").

Re the link provided by the OP, it would not seem to be an official Vegas Creative Software publication - rather a 3rd party publication. Other links on that webpage offer an avenue to buy Corel products such as VideoStudio and PaintShop Pro - and many other rotating advertising links as well.

In any event, the usual method for importing media into Vegas Pro from a computer is via Vegas Pro's Explorer window - so I wonder why such importance is being placed by the OP on the Device Explorer when importing from a computer is so easily done by the Explorer window.

And yes, that linked webpage must be quite old - the Sony camera exampled for importing into Vegas Pro is a pre-2010 model maybe from 2006. And the menu list for the Vegas Pro help files suggest that the help advice is based on Vegas Pro 9.

Doovie's trying Device Explorer following DMT3's suggestion here https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/how-to-keep-file-segments-together-on-the-timeline--139447/

Doovie's trying Device Explorer following DMT3's suggestion here https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/how-to-keep-file-segments-together-on-the-timeline--139447/

A good point. But in that post, the OP was asking about importing media from a camera (no mention of importing from a computer). After DMT3's comment, the OP has widened the issue to include importation of media from a computer via the link provided in the last comment in that other thread as well as in this post.

I'm in VP18, with a beefy computer and plenty of RAM.

The original question was How To Import Segmented Files so they Stay Together on the Timeline.

One answer said to select them all and Group them. But when I group and ungroup during the course of editing I've found gaps have develped where segments meet -- no doubt due to my poor technique in using Vegas. Not faulting the program. I just need to know how to make it work.

To avoid this I asked if I should create a nested project: To first bring all the segments to the timeline, let Vegas match them up so there are no gaps, then save it/close it and bring it in to a new project as a contiguous entity.

Then I was told that Device Manager solves this -- but I'm not able to make it work because the dialogue box will not let me [ Okay ] to save/exit. I cannot select a Folder or Files from a folder in Device Manager

I've got an event coming up and often the event producers are watching us as we edit. It's a massive embarrassment when due to pressure and eyes-over-the-shoulder the timeline gets shredded due to gaps between segments. I'm working with a pen/tablet, so I do have precise control over the cursor, but this is what has happened in the past.

It's not exactly clear about the problem, but from in your earlier post:

Meaning, when I'm editing quickly, sometimes I'll make a lateral movement with my cursor, and in the process I mistakenly shift the segment left or right.  And all my edits get shredded.  CTRL-Z brings the timeline back to how it was, but then I need to go back and check every edit to make sure nothing was messed up in the process -- a huge hit to productivity.

... have you got Ripple only partially activated? If "all ...' ripple selections are checked -

... then every event on the timeline moves. If another option is used, only some of the timeline events/tracks move when rippling.

The original question was How To Import Segmented Files so they Stay Together on the Timeline.

To group the events should be the solution.

One answer said to select them all and Group them. But when I group and ungroup during the course of editing I've found gaps have develped where segments meet -- no doubt due to my poor technique in using Vegas. Not faulting the program. I just need to know how to make it work.

That should not happen. Please make sure, that the clips have the same properties as the project settings, in terms of fps (so both 25 fps in the clips, and in the project settings, for example). If that fits, and if you group them, there should not be gaps. Check that after you have grouped them!

My 2c,

I just connected a TF card and device explorer poped in VP19, showing the mts files on it.

I then left clicked and tried to browse to a different folder on my HDD that also has few mts's ... no go, the OK is grayed out

I believe the folder option used to work, but it does not seem to now. I generally import straight from my camera, but in the past I would sometimes transfer to a folder first.

So this is function is broken in Vegas 18? Confirmed?

Then what is Device Explorer used for? I would put money on the table that no one plugs cords in their camera anymore. Camera jacks give connection problems due to overuse -- It happens and it costs to repair them.

We have SD cards and card readers that can stand up to handling -- and if your USB card reader stop working, it's not a big loss. Toss it out and take a new one from your kit.

Asking again: What is the preferred way to bring segmented files into Vegas 18, so they can be added to the timeline as a contiguous entity -- and so they will not separate. Will Grouping them completely fuse them together, so no gaps occur while editing?